O’Brien sticks with Savage as Texans’ starter ahead of Arizona game

HOUSTON — Bill O'Brien announced he will stick with Tom Savage as the Texans' starting quarterback for this weekend's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Savage has started the last two games for Houston in place of the injured Deshaun Watson. Savage threw for 221 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's loss against the Rams. He also fumbled twice and was intercepted twice. O'Brien says he doesn't need to motivate Savage with any special pep talk.

"This is pro football. If you have to pump guys up, you've got a problem," O'Brien said. "I think it's about ball security, reads, correcting people around him. It's not just him. I'm not going to come into the quarterback room with two pom-poms and do handstands and try to pump him up and say, 'You're the best, you can do it,' like the little engine that could. That's not what I do. I just try to coach him, try to get him to play better."

During Sunday's game, the Texans will induct Andre Johnson as the first player in their Ring of Honor. On Tuesday, the City of Houston will present the former Texans wide receiver with a proclamation, marking Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017 as 'Andre Johnson Day.'